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Nintendo’s Final Wii Press Announcement
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, Nintendo, Wii,
Nintendo’s final press releases dropped today for both the European and Australian territories. In the UK, Nintendo will be making the Wii available on December 8th for 249 Euros, £179 (roughly $330 US). Nintendo first party games will retail for between 49 andd 59 Euros or £34 – £39. The European package will be basically the same package as the US, including the console, a remote, a nunchuck controller, and Wii Sports Additional remotes will sell for 39 Euros (£29), nunchuks for 19 Euros (£14) and the Classic Controller will sell for 19 Euros (£14). In addition, Nintendo of Australia announced console availability on December 7th, for $399.95, roughly $299 US. The Australian console release also features Wii Sports, a single remote and nunchuck attachment. The full European press release continues below.
Click to continue reading Nintendo’s Final Wii Press Announcement
Gallery: Nintendo’s Final Wii Press Announcement
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A report from Gameindustry.biz indicates that the Wii may be region-locked, contrary to previous reports. Gamesindustry.biz talked with Nintendo UK, and they said that contrary to previous reports, the Wii would not be region-free. Now, this might still need clarification, since there may be PAL vs. NTSC issues at play; also, Perrin Kaplan did not indicate that there was no region-lock, just that Nintendo first-party titles would not feature a region-lock. This may be similar to the situation on the Xbox 360, where games can be region-locked, but may be playable in multiple regions, like the Japanese release of Saint’s Row and other games.
Read More 
| Gamesindustry.biz
Gallery: Nintendo UK: Wii Region Locked
The Game|Life blog over at Wired News has some quick updates to what was seen at the news conference today. Speaking with Perrin Kaplan of Nintendo, at the very least, first party titles from Nintendo should not be region locked. She suggested that there may be an optional region lock available for publishers though. Also, when discussing the Virtual Console, it appears that downloads will be tied to an account, similarly to the way they are with Xbox Live. In the case where a Wii has been broken, gamers will be able to re-download their Virtual Console titles. Hopefully, Nintendo can get the DRM right for these cases. Kaplan also confirmed that the Wii will not support storage expansion via USB hard drives at launch, and will be initially restricted to SD media.
Read More | Game|Life
Gallery: Wii To Be Region Free?
First Wii Screenshot - Big Brain Academy
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Casual, Nintendo, Party Games, Simulation, Wii,
With the success of the DS’s brain-training games, it should come as no surprise that Nintendo is planning to try to bring the same magic to the Wii as well. Big Brain Academy, similar in play-style to the DS title of the same name, will be coming to the Wii as a multiplayer game that allows two brains to either compete OR work cooperatively. The game will also support “Mii” characters, allowing you to import your likeness into the game.
The first screenshot of the title can be seen above. So far, the release date is TBA, though we expect it to show up soon after the console hits the streets.
Gallery: First Wii Screenshot - Big Brain Academy
Wii Sports to Sport Boxing!
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Casual, Corporate News, Fighting, Nintendo, Sports, Wii,
In the bevy of press materials Nintendo sent out today were some tasty tidbits about upcoming games for the Wii. The first one of note is that Wii Sports, which will come as a pack-in game for the $249.99 console, will now feature Wii Boxing(!!) alongside Tennis, Baseball, Golf, and Bowling.
Straight from the press materials (you read it here first!):
Boxing (1-2 players): Using the Nunchuk controller as one glove and the Wii Remote as the other, players dodge, weave and punch their opponents. Players hold their hands high to guard their faces or low to block their torsos. They punch high to hit their opponents’ faces or low to get under their guard for a body blow. Swing both arms left or right to sidestep oncoming blows and move into position for a devastating knockout.
Sounds very cool! Maybe EA will pick up on what an intuitive play mechanic this is and bring Fight Night to the Wii? Wii can only hope!
Gallery: Wii Sports to Sport Boxing!
Nintendo Of America Confirms Wii Launch Date, Price
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, Hardware, Nintendo, Wii,
Nintendo of America today confirmed the information leaked last night via the Seattle Post-Intelligencer via press release: Nintendo’s Wii will be available November 19 at an MSRP of $249.99.
In addition to shipping with Wii Sports as previously noted, the console will also ship with one Wii Remote and Nunchuck attachment. Nintendo also confirmed that Excite Truck and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess would be launch titles. All Wii first-party titles will be $49.99, but third-parties are allowed to set their own prices. While Gamecube backward compatibility has been an announced feature for quite some time, Nintendo also verified that the full library of 530 Gamecube titles would be playable on the console from launch day, in contrast to Microsoft’s approach on the Xbox 360.
High profile software publishers are also confirming their continued support today. Larry Probst, Chairman and CEO of Electronic Arts was quoted as saying that at EA, “we are putting more support behind the Wii than any Nintendo hardware launch since the Super NES.”
Nintendo’s press release did not announce specific pricing for Virtual Console games, or the availability of Wii points, but expect that information to be confirmed soon.
Update: Go Nintendo has coverage of the Nintendo announcement in New York. Other launch titles include Trauma Center, Madden 07, Need For Speed: Carbon, Red Steel, Metal Slug: Anthology. Metroid Prime will ship in 2007.
Virtual Console prices for Nintendo games are basically a direct dollar conversion from Yen: $5.00 for NES, $8 for SNES, and $10 for Nintendo 64 games. Virtual Console launch titles include Super Mario World, Legend of Zelda and Super Mario 64 and 2000 Wii points will sell for $20.00 in retail stores.
Nintendo also confirmed that additional Wii remotes will sell for $39.99, additional Nunchucks sell for $19.99.
Nintendo’s Press Release continues below.
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Read More | Go Nintendo
Gallery: Nintendo Of America Confirms Wii Launch Date, Price
Nintendo Of Japan: Wii Launches December 2, 25000 Yen
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, Nintendo, Wii,
Famitsu is currently blogging the Nintendo of Japan’s press event, and so far they have revealed that:
- Virtual Console titles will be 500 Yen for Famicom titles, 800 Yen for Super Famicom titles, and 1000 Yen for Nintendo 64 titles. 30 Nintendo games will be available by the end of the year, and 30 for other platforms. Nintendo plans on releasing 10 titles per month after launch.
- The Japanese launch date will be December 2, and the console will sell for 25000 Yen.
- Ten companies will be providing software at launch, and the Wii will launch with 16 titles in Japan
- Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess will sell for 6800 Yen and will be a launch title. Wii software will retail for 4800 ($40) - 6800 ($58) Yen in Japan.
- Via Press Release: The Wii box in Japan will include: Wii, Remote with Strap, Nunchuck Attachment, Power Cord, AV Cable, Stand, Sensor Bar and Stand, and batteries. Apparently, Japanese gamers will not get a pack-in game.
Nintendo’s official Wii site in Japan is also open now, with videos showing off the user interface for the Wii. Nintendo has also expanded their own site with information on software titles and more for the Wii.
Nintendo of Japan has Satoru Iwata’s presentation linked online as well. Additional details from the presentation:
- The Nunchuck attachment will sell for 1800 Yen
- The Classic Controller will also sell for 1800 Yen separately, but there will be a bundle with the Classic Controller and 5000 Wii Points for 5000 Yen
- Additional Wii remotes will sell for 3800 Yen ($32)
- Pokemon Battle Revolution will sell for 5800 Yen, and will be released by the end of the year. The game will also link via WiFi to the upcoming Pokemon Diamond and Pearl for the Nintendo DS
- Wii Sports will sell for 4800 Yen in Japan
- The version of Opera for the Wii will be much more advanced than the DS Version, and will support AJAX and Flash.
- 24 companies have signed on to provide games for the Virtual Console, including Sega, Hudson Soft, Tecmo, Atlus, Capcom, Bandai Namco, and Square Enix.
Read More 
| Wii Official Site
Read More | Nintendo of Japan
Read More | Satoru Iwata Presentation
Read More | Famitsu
Gallery: Nintendo Of Japan: Wii Launches December 2, 25000 Yen
Real Wii Info a Day in Advance? $250, Nov 19th Says NY Times
Posted by Michael Cardiff Categories: Nintendo, Release Dates, Rumors, Wii,
In a release dated September 14th, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer has posted a story written by Seth Schiesel of the New York Times saying that the final Wii information is as follows - The Wii will release on November 19th for North America, at a price point of $250. According to the article, we can also look forward to the re-emergence of the pack-in game, in the form of Wii Sports.
Nintendo plans to have 25 titles available for the Wii at launch; each will retail for $50 ($10 less than most Xbox and presumably PS3 games will cost). The article also states that Virtual Console titles will retail for around $5-$10 a piece (guess it’s not subscription-based then!), and about 30 titles will be available via VC at launch.
Some of the secrets that Nintendo has been keeping until the last minute are also purportedly revealed:
More broadly, Nintendo hopes to make the Wii a living-room centerpiece by including various media channels meant to appeal to and draw in people who do not consider themselves gamers.
There will be a photo channel that will allow users to use the Wii to display digital photographs on television.
There also will be an easy-to-use interactive news channel and weather channel.
Hopefully all of this info will be confirmed tomorrow by Nintendo!
Gallery: Real Wii Info a Day in Advance? $250, Nov 19th Says NY Times
ESRB Leaks Sega Virtual Console Titles?
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Nintendo, Retro, SEGA, Wii,
It looks like the ESRB has let slip information on seven of Sega’s Virtual Console titles for the Nintendo Wii. Codename Revolution found the titles in the ratings database by searching on game ratings for Wii games. The seven titles listed are:
- Altered Beast
- Ecco The Dolphin
- Columns
- Golden Axe
- Ristar
- Sonic the Hedgehog
- Toe Jam & Earl
Gamers might notice some slight overlap between this list and the previously rumored titles for the Virtual Console from Play-Nintendo, however, Outrun was on Play-Nintendo’s list but not in the ESRB database. And the ESRB database has information on more Genesis titles. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the Play-Nintendo list is incorrect, but certainly more credence must be given to the ESRB.
Read More | ESRB via Codename Revolution
Gallery: ESRB Leaks Sega Virtual Console Titles?
Rumor: Virtual Console Launch Titles
Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Internet, Nintendo, Retro, Wii,
Game site Play-Nintendo has a list of what they claim to be work-in-progress listing of launch titles for Nintendo’s Virtual Console service. The list is an interesting mix of titles for the original NES, the Super Nintendo, the Nintendo 64, and a couple of Sega Genesis titles. However, the list might be too interesting, since it reads almost like a fan’s dream list of classic games. The appearance of Mortal Kombat on the list is interesting, but with no information about the version, the quality of the title is up in the air. Duck Hunt could be interesting, depending on whether or not light gun support is mapped to the Wii controller. Play-Nintendo’s source also indicated that there were to be at least five new titles to launch with the Virutal Console service. It’s hard to put a lot of weight behind this listing, since Nintendo is unlikely to make any confirmation of this report, but the list does give gamers an inkling of the potential of the Virtual Console.
Read More | Play-Nintendo
Gallery: Rumor: Virtual Console Launch Titles
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